Patent FR-2972902-A1 (FR)
Title: Device, useful for pasteurization of breast milk using water bath, comprises water bath tub to receive and contain receptacle containing breast milk, filling unit, draining unit, heating and cooling units and adjusting and controlling unit
Inventor: QUINET SERGE
IPC: A23C3/02
Filed: 2011-03-24
Abstract: The device comprises a water bath tub (2) adapted to receive and contain a receptacle (3) containing breast milk (L) to be pasteurized, a unit (5, 6) for filling the water bath tub with a filling liquid, a unit (7, 8) for draining the water bath tub, a unit for heating the filling liquid of the water bath tub to heat the breast milk contained in the receptacle in contact with the filling liquid at a temperature of 62.5[deg] C during a pasteurization cycle for a duration of 30 minutes, and a unit for adjusting and automatically controlling the temperature of the filling liquid. The device comprises a water bath tub (2) adapted to receive and contain a receptacle (3) containing breast milk (L) to be pasteurized, a unit (5, 6) for filling the water bath tub with a filling liquid, a unit (7, 8) for draining the water bath tub, a unit for heating the filling liquid of the water bath tub to heat the breast milk contained in the receptacle in contact with the filling liquid at a temperature of 62.5[deg] C during a pasteurization cycle for a duration of 30 minutes, a unit for adjusting and automatically controlling the temperature of the filling liquid of the water bath tub based on the temperature of the breast milk contained in the receptacle in real-time pasteurization cycle, and a unit (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) for cooling the breast milk to a temperature of less than 4[deg] C during a cooling cycle for a duration of 30-50 minutes. The cooling unit comprises a cold water reservoir connected to a cold/compressor maintaining the water reservoir to a constant temperature of 0.2-0.6[deg] C, and a unit for circulation of cold water between the water bath tub and the cold water reservoir for filling the tub with cold water and for renewing the cold water throughout the cooling cycle of breast milk. The cold water reservoir has a volume equal to a volume of the water bath tub. The device further comprises a unit for stirring the breast milk in the receptacle within the water bath tub during the pasteurization and cooling cycles and for homogenization of the temperature of filling water and cooling water within the tub during pasteurization and cooling cycles of the breast milk, and a device for filtration of the filling liquid and cold water. The homogenization unit comprises a stirring member disposed in the tub and connected to a motor. The temperature adjusting and controlling unit comprises a controller for controlling the filling unit and for emptying the water bath tub and heating and cooling units, a probe for controlling the temperature of filling liquid of the tub and for controlling the temperature of breast milk in a control receptacle placed in the tube during the pasteurization and cooling cycles. The filtration device comprises a sterilizing cartridge and has a pore size of 0.4 mu m. The stirring unit comprises an oscillating table for supporting the receptacle driven by a drive device with misalignment having an axis coupled to a motor, and an element of misalignment that is integral with the axis and a center of the oscillating table and forms a lever arm between the axis and the center of the oscillating table. The axis is driven in rotation by the motor of the stirring member. The water bath tub is disposed in an isothermal enclosure. The controller comprises a computer control unit connected to a man-machine control interface with a touch screen.